Friday, November 23, 2012

But those who hope in the LORD will
renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and
not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ~ Isaiah 40:31, NIV

I saw the first bald eagles
of the season the day after Thanksgiving.The pair was standing in a field, feasting on a prairie dog, oblivious
to the noise of the cars flying past them on the nearby road. I slowed as I rounded a corner in the road, the
large birds catching my attention and
when I realized what they were, I quickly pulled off to the side and turned on
my emergency flashers to caution the cars still racing past me.I watched the regal birds as they devoured
their prey, performing a slow and timeless ritual of feasting on the helpless
rodent they had no doubt caught and killed just moments before I came upon
them. I noticed their rhythm - as one would lower
its head to eat, the other would stand erect, surveying the surroundings for
signs of trouble, taking turns accordingly as they devoured the meal. Without warning, in tandem, they flapped their
wings and raised to the sky, soaring up and away from the sight of their kill. The meal was over, they were moving on and I
watched them, feeling a slight twinge of envy as they raised effortlessly over
the field, soaring higher and higher into the sky and circling away from sight.

I stared around me for a
moment, surprised that no other cars had even slowed, much less pulled over or
stopped, to view this wonderful spectacle. I suspect that the drivers were all moving so
quickly, preoccupied with whatever was on their minds, they did not even notice
the large birds in the field.I pulled
back into the traffic, and headed on towards home. As I rounded the next bend, I saw the sign for
a reservoir and bird sanctuary ahead and decided to pull in and take a walk -
it was a nice day and the sight of the eagles had whet my appetite for viewing
more birds of prey. I found a parking
spot, pulled my iPod out of my purse, plugged in the headset and turned on the
music playlist, and began my walk along the path towards the lake.

I walked the half mile from
the parking lot to the lake alone, then paused at the shore, watching the wood
ducks and the Canadian geese as they swam effortlessly through the still waters
of the reservoir, creating small ripples on the smooth lake as they moved.After a few moments of watching and waiting,
I decided to continue walking and turned to head back towards the path. As I walked the music on my iPod changed, and
the Brandon Heath song, "Wait and See", came on. The song lyrics started soft and slow and I
recognized the song, and thought briefly about changing it. The music was a slower pace and I felt
energized being outdoors - I wanted something with a faster beat to keep my
feet moving quickly. I was preparing to
glance down and begin the process of changing the selection when something
above me caught my eye, and I paused to look up into the blue sky. There they were - the pair of bald eagles,
soaring and circling above my head.

I stopped in wonder, peering
straight above me and watching the beautiful pair dip and soar, gliding along
with the wind currents and moving effortlessly several feet above my head. "He's not finished with me yet,"
came the words in my iPod headset, as Brandon Heath continued to croon. "Still wondering why I'm here, still
wrestling with my fear, but OH, he's up to something..."The
words of the song and the soaring eagles above my head gave me a pause and I suddenly
heard the message - "He's not finished with me yet... He's not finished
with me yet."New hope sprang into
my heart - God has a plan, and it's not over yet. The promise of Isaiah 40:31 came instantly into
my mind - "But those who hope in the LORD will
renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and
not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

As the lyrics of the song
rang in my ears and the words of the Prophet Isaiah populated my mind, I
watched the eagles soar effortlessly above the ground, dipping, gliding and
moving with the currents of the wind, and I felt and knew that God was there. The eagles were a sign of encouragement,
reminding me to keep my hope in the Lord and soar on wings like eagles, as I
allow him to finish the work that He has started in me.I watched the birds as they continued their
mesmerizing dance, then slowly, as the song wound down and came to an end in my
headset, the birds flapped their mighty wings, banked to the west, and moved
away from me. I watched until they were
out of sight.

How grateful I am that I noticed the pair of bald eagles in that field and that I took the time to stop and watch them, opening myself to the message the sight ultimately delivered to me. I wondered, how many times has God tapped on my shoulder with the intention of delivering a message, but I've been to busy to stop and listen? Feeling a renewed sense of
enthusiasm and a lighter step in my walk, I returned to the car and drove home
as the lyrics of the song continued to play in my mind, reminding me that, "He's
not finished with me yet."

About Me

My husband and I love to travel and explore the world. I believe that meeting new people and visiting new places has made me a better person. We are an ordinary couple of ordinary means. We work hard but we play hard, enjoying the fun and adventures that the world has to offer. I have learned to find travel bargains to support our habit and my goal is to assist others with the same interests. Join my blog to share my stories as I capture the highlights of our extraordinary travels. Look for my travel tips of the day and feel free to share some of yours!
Bon Voyage!